Stuart Lancaster says players will have a chance of breaking into the England squad only if they fit into his squad culture. Photograph: Paul Harding/Action Images

Stuart Lancaster does not anticipate making many changes to his England squad before the 2015 World Cup, even though it is 30 months away. The head coach has drawn up a long list of the "DNA" required by players looking to break into the elite 33 and says no one will be picked on the back of a few stand-out performances for their clubs.

England finished as runners-up in the Six Nations for the second season under Lancaster, losing in each year to the team that ended above them, Wales, and there will be new faces in the squad that tours Argentina this summer, filling gaps left by players touring Australia with the British and Irish Lions. But the newcomers will have a chance of breaking into the elite squad, which will be revised in July, only if they fit into the head coach's squad culture.

Lancaster made a presentation to the Rugby Football Union's council before the end of the Six Nations in which he outlined his plans and goals for the next two-and-a-half years, with the ultimate aim being to reach No1 in the rankings.

He told the councillors that the intention was to develop a long-term winning team, which meant that, with the average age of the squad being 24, performances were the focus rather than results. "Get the performance right and the results will come," he said.

With little more than two dozen Tests before the start of the 2015 World Cup, which England is hosting, he said he will largely keep faith with the players who have served him in the past 15 months. "The squad for the World Cup is unlikely to be materially different from the current one," he said. "New players will have to meet criteria: internal competition is currently high, but it is vital to ensure complacency does not creep in."

The seven attributes he said newcomers needed were inner confidence, a good temperament, being able to hit the ground running, a love of the big occasion, being prepared to graft like a team player, being blessed with technical skills that do not melt under pressure, and a will to win.

"The culture of the England team has changed," he said. "The players now embrace the concept that they are representing England every day of the year, not just when they are on international duty. Success will be built on a strong team culture, high-quality coaches and good selection. The right culture drives motivation and behaviour."

He listed the nine qualities that made up his squad's DNA as character, putting the team first, work rate, intent to play allied with an enjoyment of playing, game management, humility in the face of a "growing circus", focus on detail, discipline on and off the field, and honesty.

He concluded by saying that his key goals were for the team to keep progressing, to draw up individual development plans and to ensure the pipeline into the national squad worked with maximum efficiency. He regarded the creation of a new position, head of international player development, as crucial.